US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has clarified that Washington has not prohibited Iran from participating in the upcoming World Cup, scheduled to begin this summer. However, he indicated that there may be questions regarding certain players.
During a press briefing in the Oval Office on April 24, President Donald Trump and his team responded to inquiries about the situation, following reports from the Financial Times suggesting that a Trump representative proposed replacing Iran’s national team with Italy, which failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament.
Trump stated that the US does not wish to interfere with Iranian athletes who wish to compete in the World Cup. Rubio echoed this sentiment, asserting that the US has not barred Iran from the tournament, but acknowledged potential restrictions.
“The issue with Iran is not their athletes. The problem lies with other individuals they may wish to bring along, some of whom are affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). We may not be able to allow them entry,” Rubio explained.
He further dismissed media reports regarding the substitution of Iran with Italy as mere speculation. “The decision about whether athletes come to the US rests with Iran. They cannot bring a group of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend to be journalists or sports coaches,” he concluded.
Contextually, the day prior, the Financial Times reported that Trump’s special envoy, Paolo Zampolli, had approached FIFA and the US President with the suggestion of replacing Iran with Italy in the World Cup, citing Italy’s four World Cup titles as justification for the proposal. Sources indicated that this initiative aimed to mend relations between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, following tensions arising from Trump’s comments about Pope Leo XVI amid the conflict with Iran.
In a subsequent CNN interview, Zampolli clarified that he presented this idea to Trump and FIFA’s president, stating that, to his knowledge, Iran does not plan to withdraw from the tournament. Despite the complexities arising from US-Iran relations, Tehran has expressed its intention to participate and is exploring ways to ensure a safe presence at the event.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Iran has not been barred from the World Cup, while addressing concerns regarding potential security risks associated with certain individuals. The discussion follows a controversial proposal to replace Iran with Italy in the tournament, which has sparked debate within the administration.
Source: Financial Times